ADVERTISING FEATUREsystem offers and the ultra-compact size of the system’s
cameras and lenses. “My whole system—three bodies,
multiple lenses and accessories—wts in a small bag that meets
carry-on regulations around the world.”
Dickman has been shooting with Olympus since the
early days of digital. He was one of the photographers to
participate in the “A Day In The Life Of Africa” project in 2002.
Today he’s working with the latest Olympus gear, including
the new OM-D E-M1X, the most advanced Olympus camera
yet, developed with input from professional photographers to
meet their needs in the most punishing environments.
The camera’s magnesium alloy body incorporates
extensive weather sealing protecting all of the possible entry
points for moisture and dust. The sealing is so good, it’s even
been tested to the IPX1 standard. When paired with Olympus
weatherproof lenses like Dickman’s “go-tos,” the M.Zuiko
12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO and M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 PRO,
the system is virtually impervious to the elements. “I am really,
really rough on my equipment,” Dickman admits. “I don’t
baby my gear—it stays out in the rain with me, and I’ve never
had a problem.”
With its two dual quad core image processors, two
UHS-II SD card slots and cutting-edge AI-based Intelligent
Subject Detection AF, the OM-D E-M1X is able to capture
20.4-megapixel images at up to 18 fps with continuous AF/
AE tracking, or a blazing 60 fps with focus and exposure
locked. That speed, combined with innovative features like
Olympus’ unique Pro Capture Mode—which continuously
buffers full-resolution images when you depress the shutter
release halfway and then, when you fully depress the shutter,
records that moment’s image plus the preceding 35 frames
all at once—are huge benewts for wildlife, sports and travel
photography, where capturing a yeeting moment is critical.
Another impressive technology in the OM-D E-M1X is the
in-camera 5-Axis Image Stabilization, which pairs with in-lens
stabilization of Olympus M.Zuiko PRO lenses to produce the
world’s most effective image stabilization—up to 7.5 shutter
speed steps of compensation. The wrst time Dickman used this
technology photographing wildebeests in Africa, the image in
the camera’s EVF was so still, he thought it had frozen—until
he realized the wildebeests were moving. He’s also used this
stabilization for long exposures in situations where positioning a
tripod wasn’t possible, such as a four-second hand-held nighttime
shot taken in India. “Those pictures were sharp,” he says. “Not
‘get away with it sharp,’ but truly sharp.”
The quality of M.Zuiko lenses is a point Dickman returns
to frequently when talking about why he shoots with the
OM-D system. “Olympus is producing incredible quality. After
hours at my workshops, out of curiosity, we’ve done blind tests
to compare image quality from the photos participants have
taken. The best images with the least amount of chromatic
aberration were taken with Olympus lenses.”
Another key benewt for Dickman, especially for his wildlife
photography, is the extremely compact design of Olympus
lenses. “Try handholding a 600mm DSLR lens for an hour,” he
says. A typical pro DSLR body and 600mm f/4 lens together
weigh in around 30 pounds. The OM-D E-M1X paired with
the M.Zuiko 300mm F4.0 IS PRO (equivalent to 600mm)
weighs just 5 pounds—an incredible advantage. “When you’re
shooting wildlife, it often means hours of waiting,” Dickman
notes, “but when the action starts, you’ve got to be ready.”
He’s reminded of a situation photographing a Galapagos
hawk, for example, which sat still for an hour on a branch but
then abruptly started preening. “Others had put their cameras
down from the weight,” he says, “but I got the shot.”
“You never know when a picture is going to happen,”
Dickman advises. “You have to be ready for it. The Olympus
OM-D E-M1X empowers me to get the picture. And what else
do you want from your camera system?”To learn more about the professional capabilities of the
Olympus OM-D E-M1X, visit getolympus.com/em1x.